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Category Archives: Vegetables

July 13, 2013 Oven Roasted Krispy Kale


DSC_1892

RECIPE Oven Roasted Krispy Kale

A CookTale

Our dear friend Ira Levy called from Blue Hill, Maine. In the course of the conversation he told us about this terrific side dish. Kale, roasted as crispy as potato chips, and like chips, impossible to stop eating after just one bite. With Farmers Markets cropping up everywhere and farm fresh Kale easily available, here is Ira’s recipe for finger food for all to enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

1 big bunch of Kale
2 TB of EVOO (or more if necessary)
Kosher Salt & Pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Remove the leaves from the center stem, discard the stem, & tear the leaves into bite size pieces.

3. Add EVOO, Salt & Pepper & toss to combine.

4. Place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the Kale is crispy & evenly roasted. That’s it!

November 19, 2012 Roasted Game Hen With Rings Of Delicata Squash


RECIPE Roasted Game Hen with Delicata Squash Rings

Serves 2

A CookTale

What a scrumptious dinner we enjoyed last evening, composed of simply two ingredients. A fresh, not frozen, Game Hen easily serves two and is modestly priced under $5.00. The main requirement to get the most out of the Hen is careful oven roasting, which means overcooking this small bird will dry it out and the tender juicy meat will have been lost . A coating with a savory Marinade will also contribute to the finished flavor. The Delicata Squash rings roasted in the same hot oven made for a delicious accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS For the Game Hen & Marinade

A 1-1/2 lb Cornish Game Hen (backbone removed & flattened)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 tsp of Aleppo or other ground hot Pepper
1 TB of Sweet Spanish Paprika
1 TB of softened Butter
2 TB of EVOO

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place the flattened Hen, skin side up into a deep sided casserole. Whisk together the five Marinade ingredients & generously brush it on the Hen. Let it marinate for an hour at room temperature.

3. Place the Hen in the oven for about 20 minutes. Check it with an instant thermometer – the internal temperature inserted in the Breast Meat should be no more than 130 degrees F. Remove to a warm platter, as it rests the temperature will continue to rise.

INGREDIENTS For the Delicata Squash rings

1 Medium size Delicata Squash (both ends sliced off)
2 TB of Maple Syrup
2 TB of softened Butter
Kosher Salt & Lemon Pepper

METHOD

1. Slice the Squash into 1/2″ rings. Remove the seeds in all the slices. Place the prepared slices into a large bowl.

2. Whisk together the four Marinade ingredients. Pour onto the Squash rings & very carefully coat them. Transfer to a baking sheet in a single layer & oven roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. The should well browned & very tender.

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March 26, 2012 Cauliflower Roasted To A Char


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

To all who shy away from Cauliflower, may I suggest roasting with EVOO and salt and pepper? It very well might change your mind. The trick is to roast it to a char, it changes the texture and the taste. To my taste buds, the heavily charred pieces have the remote taste of campfire-roasted Marshmallows. Tasting is believing.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Half a fresh Cauliflower cut into slices
2 TB of EVOO
1 TB of Salt + 2 tsp of Pepper
A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the seasoned Cauliflower slices & florets in one layer to a baking sheet.
3. Roast for about 25 minutes, carefully watching their progress.
4. When roasted to suit, remove & allow to cool down a bit.
5. Plate & if desired add sprinkle of EVOO.

March 4, 2012 Oven Roasted Asparagus


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Actually the preparation is so simple that a recipe is actually not required. Simply prepare the Asparagus and oven roast them. Below are the ingredients and the method, which might help.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of Asparagus (about 14 spears, as thick as you can find them)
1-1/2 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Pepper
Balsamic Glaze (optional but desired)

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees

2, With a vegetable peeler, peel all the spears.
Season them with Salt, Pepper & EVOO.

3. Add them in a single layer to a non stick baking sheet & roast for 30 minutes, or until beginning to color & char.

4. Simply plate & serve. An alternative to a separate plate is to combine them with the Swordfish. Their flavors will compliment each other.

February 16, 2012 Roasted Fennel


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

Harold McGee, who writes about the science of food and cooking, could explain why oven roasting slices of a Fennel Bulb so completely changes its character and flavor. All I know is that it evolves from an interesting vegetable, into a remarkably delicious one. On top of that it’s gorgeous.

INGREDIENTS

Fennel Bulb (cut into 3/4″ slices)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
2 TB of EVOO
Fennel fonds for garnish

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Season the Fennel & douse it with the EVOO.

3. Place them in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes (depending on how charred you’d like it).

February 13, 2012 Roasted Sweet Baby Peppers


NO RECIPE REQUIRED

Serves 2

A CookTale

You never know what might turn up at the village supermarket! This week’s surprise came in a plastic bag in red, yellow, and orange. They were just asking to have someone do something with them. I might have disappointed them with a simple roasting, doused with EVOO, Salt and Pepper. If they only knew how tasty they were!

February 8, 2012 Gigantic Brussel Sprouts


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Not only was the size of these Brussels unusual, but their taste was extraordinary. Due to their size, every bite brought you to a creamy center, which never before happened with regular marble size Brussels. All I could figure out was that the grower left them on their stalks until they reached this gigantic size. This was well worth devoting a CookTeaser posting to a, vegetable. We found them at Price Chopper, our local Supermarket. I heartily recommend you search for them

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces of Gigantic Brussels Sprouts
2 TB of EVOO
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 425F degrees.

2. Halve the Brussels & add to a large bowl. Douse with the EVOO & sprinkle with Salt & Pepper.

3. Transfer to a casserole or a baking dish & roast for about 45 minutes until they’re blackened & have become very tender.

4. Remove & plate.

February 1, 2012 Swordfish Paillards With Olive Relish & Pepper & Anchovies


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

Cathie suggested, “how about Pepper & Anchovies”? I in turn chimed in, “how about the Swordfish that I vacuumed packed the other day”? So why not have both? It turned out to be a fat-free dietary dinner, but you’d never know it. Once again the picture says it all.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup of chopped pitted Green Olives (such as Greek or Italian)
1/3 cup of chopped pitted Black Olives (such as Kalamata or Nicoise)
1/4 cup of chopped roasted Red Peppers
1 TB of fresh Parsley (minced)
2 Anchovy fillets (minced)
2 tsp of drained Capers
1 tsp of Red Wine Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
Sea or Kosher Salt & Pepper + Lemon Pepper
3 TB of EVOO
Fried Sage Leaves (optional)
2 6-ounce Swordfish Paillards (about 1/2 inch thick)

METHOD For the Olive Relish

1. Combine the Olives, Roasted Peppers, Parsley, Anchovies, Capers, Vinegar & Garlic in small bowl. Stir in 1 TB of EVOO. Season with Salt & Pepper. Allow it to marinate for 1 hour.

METHOD For the Swordfish Paillards

1. Preheat a cast iron grill pan to high. Season the Swordfish with Salt & Pepper, Lemon Pepper & EVOO.

2. Place the Swordfish on the heated grill pan. Grill for 1-1/2 minutes a side, weighed down with a heavy grill press. If permitted to cook any longer, the Swordfish will have dried out.

3. Transfer to dinner plates. Generously spoon the Olive Relish onto each Swordfish Paillard. Add the Peppers & Anchovies & the (optional) fried Sage Leaves

January 27, 2012 Pan Fried Artichoke Hearts


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

The Artichokes came from the salad bar at Adam’s FairAcre Farm. Large, tender hearts that had no seasonings, just water. Salt and Pepper and simply pan frying them is all it took to achieve a delicious side dish.

INGREDIENTS

12 oz of Artichoke Hearts
2 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Toss the Artichoke Hearts with the EVOO & Salt & Pepper in a large bowl until well coated.

2. Heat a large deep-sided frying pan to medium high. Add the Artichoke Hearts, turning occasionally until they have become golden brown & tender. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.

January 25, 2012 Maple Soy Salmon with Pickled Ginger & Sauteed Kale


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Last evening’s dinner was back to basics, and basics always take the cake. A lovely piece of wild organic Salmon, marinated for no more than 30 minutes in a simple mixture of Soy Sauce and Maple Syrup, with fresh young Kale, the perfect winter green, and Pickled Ginger, an option worth opting for. With a dinner like that the evening ends with you being satisfied, not satiated.
In the recipes that follows, the sauteed Kale is listed first, because for timing the meal, it takes that much longer to prepare.

INGREDIENTS For the Sauteed Kale

1 lb of young Kale, (leaves coarsely chopped)
3 TB of EVOO
2 Garlic Cloves (finely sliced)
1/2 cup of Vegetable stock
1/2 cup of White Wine
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 TB of Lemon Juice (or white Wine Vinegar)

METHOD

1. Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan, or a wok, over medium-high heat. Add the Garlic & saute until soft.

2. Raise heat to high, add the Stock, the Kale & toss to combine. Cover & cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cover & continue to cook, occasionally stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with Salt & Pepper to taste & add the Lemon Juice.

Note: From my experience Kale takes a rather long time to become chew-ably tender, so be sure not to let it dry out in the pan, keep adding water or stock as necessary.

INGREDIENTS For the Salmon

1 lb of Organic Wild Salmon (skin on, cut into two pieces)
1/3 cup of pure Maple Syrup
2 TB of Soy Sauce
1 Garlic Clove (finely minced)
1 tsp of Sea Salt & 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper
Pickled Ginger (optional)
1/2 TB of EVOO

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Maple Syrup, Soy Sauce, Garlic, Salt & Pepper. Place the two pieces of Salmon in a shallow baking dish. Coat with the Soy, Maple Syrup mixture. Cover the dish & marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Add the excess Soy Maple mixture to a small sauce pan & reduce it until it coats a spoon. Be careful that it doesn’t boil over. As mine did!

3. Heat a non-stick pan to high, add the EVOO. Brush the reduced sauce onto the Salmon pieces, Then place them in the pan, skin side down & cook for a few minutes. Just long enough to crisp the skin.

4. Move the pan to the oven & bake the Salmon for 10 minutes. Do not overcook & dry out the Salmon.

5. To serve, place a bed of Kale onto each plate. Top with a piece of Salmon. Add the optional Pickled Ginger.